Kadafi Zaman and Janne Amble host TV 2’s "Skolebytte" ("School Switch")
Keshet International has licensed Top Hat Productions’ multi-award-nominated social experiment format "The Great School Swap" to TV 2 in Norway.
Produced by Norway’s Teddy TV ("Kjære Mor", "Petter Uteligger"), "Skolebytte" (translated as School Switch) is a five-part series that brings together 24 ninth graders (ages 14–15) from two culturally different schools located on opposite sides of Oslo. Over the course of two weeks—one spent at each school—the students live each other’s daily routines, meet families, and participate in structured lessons and discussions. Sensitive topics such as religion, integration, gender roles, prejudice, and dating are tackled head-on in an effort to break down barriers and challenge assumptions.
The program is hosted by Janne Amble and Kadafi Zaman, who also reflect on the issues through the lens of their own experiences. Their candid conversations open discussions on themes such as drugs, the hijab, career choices, homosexuality, and social prejudice, adding nuance and relatability. "Skolebytte" premieres August 28 on TV 2 Play and TV 2 Direkte.
Channel 4’s"The Great British School Swap" received strong critical acclaim for addressing important social themes directly. Reviewers praised the show’s boldness, noting that it “didn’t shy away from reality” (The Guardian) and was “well-intentioned” in its exploration of cultural divisions (Broadcast). Beyond sparking national dialogue about identity, diversity, and integration in British schools, the series was also acknowledged within the industry, earning a nomination for Best Documentary Series at the 2020 Grierson Awards and another for Best Factual Entertainment Series at the 2020 Royal Television Society Awards. These accolades cemented its reputation as one of Channel 4’s most thought-provoking factual projects.
Inspired by a US integration initiative from the 1960s, Top Hat Production’s original three-part docuseries "The Great British School Swap" for the UK’s Channel 4 followed pupils from an all-white school in Tamworth who swapped with pupils from a nearby all-Asian school. The goal was to carry out an ambitious social experiment that brought together teenagers from different cultures and backgrounds. The results proved explosive, exciting, and ultimately uplifting, as the children overcame misconceptions and prejudices shaped by their segregated communities.
Kelly Wright, KI’s Managing Director of Distribution, celebrated the news, saying that: "We are thrilled that TV 2 is adapting this ambitious social experiment format for its viewers in Norway. When it premiered on Channel 4, it sparked conversations around segregation, stereotypes, and integration, while also suggesting that young people are more capable of seeing beyond prejudices than many of the grown-ups around them. I hope Norway responds in a similarly positive way to TV 2’s "School Switch," expressed.
From TV 2, Program Director Trygve Rønningen emphasized the importance of the series, commenting that: ‘"Skolebytte" shows how meetings across differences can create understanding and community. We hope TV viewers will be inspired by the openness and curiosity of these young people. Prejudices can be challenged and broken down when people meet and share experiences, and our hope is that this series contributes to exactly that" noted.